(ZAGREB) - Bosnia must forge closer political unity before it can join the European Union (EU), the country's international envoy Miroslav Lacjak warned Wednesday.

Lacjak, the High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, told Croatian media that membership of the 27-member bloc would be "impossible" without reforms to the constitution.

"With the current political set-up in accordance with the terms of the Dayton peace agreement, it is certainly impossible to join the EU," Lajcak told the Croatian daily Jutarnji List.

The Dayton peace agreement, signed at the end of the Bosnian civil war (1992-1995), spilt the former Yugoslav state in two -- the Serb Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation. Each has its own government, police and judiciary, but central government institutions remain weak.

"Everyone knows this set-up is untenable in the long term... Bosnia-Herzegovina cannot be satisfied with it, it has to push further forward," the Slovak diplomat said.

Reform aimed at strengthening central institutions failed in 2006. Renewed negotiations, due to start shortly, are likely to be difficult as the main political parties completely disagree with each other on possible solutions.

Islamic parties are calling for Bosnia to split into new regions by economic criteria -- an idea rejected by the Serbs as they say the move would abolish the Republika Srpska.

"My goal is to approach the process of constitutional change with a European perspective, to look for a solution which will speed up closer ties with the EU," Lajcak said.

Bosnia signed in June a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Brussels, seen as the first step towards EU membership.

Countries that sign such agreements usually promise to introduce political, economic or human rights reform. In return, the country may be offered tariff-free access to EU markets or given financial assistance.

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